Baked Piccolini Alfredo

Baked Piccolini Alfredo

12 oz italian sausage
1 lb ground chuck
Garlic salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
26 oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 tsp dried basil
Pinch sugar
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp minced roasted garlic
2 cups heavy cream
heaping 1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
Salt and pepper if needed
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 lb piccolini (or ziti), cooked al dente and drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella-provolone mix

Brown and crumble the sausage, chuck and onion until completely cooked. Drain. Season with garlic salt and pepper to taste. Stir in spaghetti sauce, basil and sugar and simmer a half hour.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the garlic and cream and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently until hot. Stir in parmigiano reggiano and continue stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat, pour over hot, cooked piccolini and stir to combine.

Spoon about 1 1/2 cups meat sauce into bottom of a 9x13" pan. Spoon piccolini and alfredo sauce over the meat mixture. Top with 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Spoon remaining meat sauce over all. Top with 2 cups shredded mozzarella-provolone mix and cover pan with foil.

Bake at 350^ for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10-15 minutes more until cheese on top is lightly browned and bubbly. Let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving.

This was awesome, if I do say so myself!